In the week after a Russian built, Russian commanded, and probably Russian operated anti-aircraft missile knocked a Malaysia Air plane from the skies over Ukraine, Russia has shown no signs of letting the stigma of slaughtering innocents deter them from their mission of carving up Ukraine. In fact, they have doubled down. Russian military forces have fired artillery rounds into eastern Ukraine targeting Ukrainian military | Read More »

It is certain that a Russian made anti-aircraft missile fired by Russian armed, trained, and commanded Ukrainian “separatists” shot down Malaysia Air flight MH-17 last week killing all 298 passengers and crew aboard. The only outstanding question is the degree to which this was a conscious act perpetrated by the Russian government under the leadership of Vladimir Putin. I say the only open question is | Read More »

With Rand Paul almost certainly running for President, it’s very important we evaluate just what his views are on the issues of the day, and what influences shape what his gut instincts are, which will shape his reactions to the unforeseen issues that crop up during any Presidency.

Given the younger Paul’s constant support of his father’s candidacies, and his currying of favor from his father’s supporters, this means we must continue to look at what Ron Paul says, and look to Rand Paul to support or deny those remarks.

On today’s edition of Coffee and Markets, Brad Jackson is joined by Francis Cianfrocca to discuss the downing of MH 17, what the world’s response will be toward Russia and if this could be a Franz Ferdinand moment.

On Friday, former Representative Ron Paul was a guest on Newsmax TV. The subject of the shootdown of Malaysia Air flight MH-17 came up. This exchange ensued with host John Bachman, via Mediaite: Speaking with Newsmax TV’s John Bachman earlier today, Paul said “Putin is a little bit smarter than that. I don’t think he would ever come close to participating in an act like this.” “At | Read More »

One of the few bright spots in the perpetual darkness (can I say that anymore? or does this doom me to a reeducation camp) that has descended on America under the kleptocratic regime of Barack Obama is watching his defenders tie themselves into knots justifying each and every boneheaded move that he makes. Benghazi, Syria, Obamacare, the IRS, the VA have all produced great examples | Read More »

A word to the wise about history and debunked historical theories: the Domino Effect was real. It is still real. The Latvians, Estonians, Ukrainians, Poles, Czechs, Romanians, Germans and others who were buttoned up behind the Iron Curtain for 50 years know it’s real. Our indifference and idleness in the face of Putin’s reanimated Russian Bear provokes fears of another 70 years of an Iron Curtain, replaced by a Steel Ring, run from Moscow by a man unfettered by western morals, but skilled in crafting his own image at home, and abroad.

http://www.mlgoodell.webs.com Considering he’s the most timorous and geopolitically unformed President since Jimmy Carter, Barack Obama is remarkably prolific when it comes to slaughtering straw men. Take for example his recent press conference hissy fit in Malaysia. Or it may have been a calculated outburst, it’s hard to tell with this guy. Ostensibly a defense of his nuanced, highly sophisticated foreign policy, by the time Obama | Read More »

So a continuing look at the NetMundial meeting to argue why American stewardship of the Internet is bad. It got hijacked by the Net Neutrality folks and the anti-American folks (with NSA as the word the Orwellian sheep are bleating), which tells you all about the orientation of this movement. Fortunately our adversaries have all the efficiency of the UN: “There were so many welcome speeches, and they went so much over time, that we did not even begin the substantive work of the conference until 5:30pm.”

Barack Obama showed weakness when he even floated the possibility that America would turn our control of ICANN over to other countries. Down in Brazil they’re all over that idea (the anarchists are claiming they want a non-governmental control, but look, in a world with Russia and China, and even the EU countries like Germany having ‘national champions’, that’s not happening). India’s game, too. Republicans, and heck it’d help if Democrats did it to, must signal that the next President will not let this happen.

http://www.mlgoodell.webs.com In a stunning development, the Associated Press announced on April 1 that “President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul was on track to sign up more than seven million Americans for health insurance on deadline day Monday.” You may recall that the Congressional Budget Office determined that seven million people would need to sign up for health insurance on the government run exchanges for Affordable | Read More »

I’ve never been a Robert Gates fan. I’ve always seen him a more of a pale, man-in-a-gray-flannel-suit-type apparatchik. My lack of enthusiasm for Gates and all his works was made more acute when he agreed to stay at Defense as a beard for Barack Obama’s decidedly un-masculine vision of the military. My views shifted a bit when his memoir hit the streets and refreshingly confirmed | Read More »

Yesterday, the West took a small step towards recognizing Russia for what it is: a rogue state that will operate outside international norms to aggrandize power and territory to itself. The G8 officially suspended Russia from membership because of its ravaging of Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea. “International law prohibits the acquisition of part or all of another state’s territory through coercion or force,” | Read More »